Machine for brepabing hides



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE, j N

. lSpecication` of Letters Patent No." 7,924, dated February 4, 1851. i

ToaZZ whom t may concern: band or chain J which `is passedaround a Be it lznown that I, THoMAsW. JONES, of

Philomath, in the county of Oglethorpe and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines lfor Breaking and `Fleshing Hides `and for Scouring, Consolidating, and Smoothing Leather, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, referencebeing had tothe accompanying drawings, which form part of this `speciication,-and in which- Figure l represents a view 1n perspective of my machme,.I `1g. 2 1s a vert-ical longitudinal section of the l. same and` Fig. 3 is a back elevation ,of the same. l

My invention consists in drawing the hides or leather 1n a continuous manner be-` neath sets 1of stampers which `occupy such positions with `respect to each otherthat the shoes of one set are opposite` the spaces `be-` tween the shoes of the other, and whichbeing caused to rise and ,fall alternately,beat and press the hide or leather drawn continuously beneath them.` l l i The machine invented by me for effecting these operations is represented in the ac-` companying drawings, in which A is a strong frame to which theseveral members of my machine are secured. At the` front of this frame are two strong standards B, C,

"which support the bed D upon which the hide is supported beneath the stampers. The latter are `arranged in two sets E, F, those of the hinder being oppositethe spaces between the front set. Each stamper consists of a straightbarwith a shoe atits lower end and is supportedin an upright position by two guide beams G, H, which are perforated to admit the Shanks of the stampers and to allow them to rise and fall freely.A

Each stampershank is alsofurnished with an arm a which projects'backward from it to be acted upon by the tappet or lifter b by `means of which the stamper is raised. These tappets are arranged in sets, the number in each set corresponding with the number' 1of stampers, upon a strong horizontal shaft I whose guides are supported in boxes or pillow blocks secured toygthe standards B, C,

one of the gudgeons is tted with a belt pulley c which is driven by albelt d, from a belt pulley e on a short driving shaft f to which the power of the prime mover is applied. i l

The feed motion consists `of an endless brush gudgeon ,which shaft K, beneath "the `bed `-D `and round a belt pulley g at the `hinder end ofthe'fr'ame The `shaft K, is putin mot-ion `from the driving shaft by means of a belt twhich encrcles belt pulleysz', j, securedy to the respective shafts, v

Immediately behind `the hinder setpfstampers is the rotating brush L this extends standard B. i

The brush is succeeded by a `serrated A protrudesbeyondpthe l scraperM;,this also extends from one standard to the other. which is hung from ashaft O by two radius bars m, these are passed throughintosockets 1 sunk inthe beam, and each bar has a helical` spring 0 upon it which presses the scraper down upon the leather, andallows itto move and accommodate itself to the surface of the Itlis secured to anbeaml N,

leather on which lit acts. The gudgeons of this shaftare supportedby pillow blockson thestandardsand onel of them is `fitted `with an arm `awhiczh-,is connectedat its lower end,"1 by a rod p with `a crank pin in the face of the` belt pulley y' on the band shaft K, so that as the latter revolved the scraper is caused to `vibrate toward andA from the stampers. In

some cases I prefer to make the scraper vibrate longitudinally instead of transversely, which can easily be effected chanical devices.

The bed `is preceded by a roller P which `prevents the hides from binding upon its edge as they are drawn on by the feed band. In brushinghides with this machine a side is introduced beneath the stampers and is made *fast to the feed band. The machine is then put in operation by applying power to the driving shaft, f. The sets of stampers are raisedalternatelywhile the hide is drawn over the bed D beneath them` with a continuous motion.. As the sets of` stampers act alternately, one set is always drawn Vupon Vthe hide while the other is `being raised and dropped, and as the feed motion is continuous thehide is not only beaten but is rubbed by being drawn beneath the shoes of the set of stampers at rest upon it. This' rubbing motion in conjunction rwith the pounding is of great service in `breaking and scouring by well knownme-` i kdown stamper shoes and the slicker.

'value; in the market.

hides, as it shortens the time required to produce the desired effect. As the hide passes the stampers it is subjected to the action of the scraper which teases up and scrapes off the fleshy matter which adheres to the hide and thus economizes both time and labor by breaking and fleshing the hide at one opera# tion.

When the hides are removed from the tanning vats their surfaces are spotted by the unequal absorption of the coloring matter of the tan; this defect is removed and the color of the leather is rendered much lighter by washing and scouring it. These operations are effected simultaneously by my machine by drawing the hides beneath the stampers and rotating brush (the scraper being thrown `out of gear) and by passing them through a vat of water or by allowing water to run upon them during the operation. By this means the surface of the hide is brought to a uniform light color whichvenhances itsA This machine is also of great value in consolidating the tanned leather. When used for this purpose the scraper is thrown out of gear and a slicker of f glass or stone is substituted for the brush;

the side A'of leather is secured to the feed band and is dragged beneath the descending stampers which hammer and consolidate it, while at the same time its surface is smoothed and slicked by the dragging of it beneath the In most instances a sufiicient consolidation will be produced by a single passage through the machine, but should a further consolidationl be deemed advisable the leather may be rel"passed any number of times until the desired eiiect is produced. In such cases I prefer to turn the side end for end after each passage so that all parts of it shall receive the most equable hammering and slicking.

In constructing and describing my machine I have used belts and pulleys for communicating motion from one part to another, and an endlessband for feeding the leather. But it is evident that cog wheel gearing may be substituted for the belts and feed rollers or other equivalent mechanical devices for the feed band. It will also be evident to the skilful mechanic that various other modifications may be made in the construction and arrangement of the several members of the machine7 to adapt it to the circumstances of any particular case, without any departure from the principles of my invention. I

do not therefore wish to limit myself to the precise arrangement and construction herein set forth, but

lVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- The method of consolidating and smoothing leather by drawing it with a continuous motion beneath a series of stampers which alternately rise, fall, and rest upon its surface, a portion of the stampers being at all times in contact with the leather so that the smoothing of its surface is constantly going on simultaneously with the consolidation by the blows of the falling stampers.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

THOMAS W. JONES.

Witnesses: E. I). RENWICK,y

P. H. WATSON. 

